Pain management

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zteacher08
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:45 pm

Pain management

Postby zteacher08 » Mon Jan 05, 2015 5:11 am

Hello! I'm posting here on behalf of my aunt who was dx with colorectal cancer and is currently undergoing treatment (5Fu+ Mytomycin and rads). The road has been rough for her so far. Fortunately, she finished the chemo but is doing daily rads and experiencing a great deal of pain.

She was hospitalized due to the pain in her abdomen and underwent a ct scan. They said her discomfort was most likely due to radiation enteritis. After having several treatments postponed, she resumed rads but has continued to have extreme pain. She is highly sensitive to pain meds and reacts adversely to a number of them (oxycodone, hydrocodone). Oxycotin was providing her with some relief, but it isn't any longer. Any other suggestions on how she can deal with the pain?

She is in her 50s and prior to her dx, was very active. As if a cancer dx isn't enough of a blow, these side effects of treatment are really taxing on her.

As someone who has personally been diagnosed with cancer (breast), I know how valuable support groups such as this can be. Thanks in advance for any advice!!!

esk2poo
Posts: 499
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 7:17 am
Location: New Jersey

Re: Pain management

Postby esk2poo » Mon Jan 05, 2015 2:58 pm

Is she seeing a pain management doctor. Some doctors really suck at providing adequate relief. Low dose fentanyl patches may help as they slowly release the medicine without the euphoric high that comes with most opiates.
Good luck,
Allen
Dx 8/23/11 stage 3b crc
3 of 11 LN's
resection 9/15/11
folfox start 10/31/11 12 sessions
De-ported 6/2012
clear CT 7/2012
Clear colonoscopy 9/2012

NWgirl
Posts: 6659
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2008 3:24 am
Facebook Username: Belle Piazza
Location: Battle Ground, Washington

Re: Pain management

Postby NWgirl » Mon Jan 05, 2015 9:03 pm

esk2poo wrote:Is she seeing a pain management doctor. Some doctors really suck at providing adequate relief. Low dose fentanyl patches may help as they slowly release the medicine without the euphoric high that comes with most opiates.
Good luck,
Allen


That was my first thought. She needs to see a pain management doctor.
Belle - "Don't Retreat - Reload"DX 10/07 Stage III Rectal
Surgery 11/07; 27 of 38 nodes
Perm Colostomy 8/11
12/10 recurrence lungs & LN's
VATS Jan 2011
Radiation Oct 2013
Chemo for Life
2012 Colondar Model

zteacher08
Posts: 2
Joined: Sun Jan 04, 2015 11:45 pm

Re: Pain management

Postby zteacher08 » Fri Jan 09, 2015 2:13 am

Thanks for the responses! She will be seeing the doctor in the morning.

Ontario Guy
Posts: 278
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 7:55 am

Re: Pain management

Postby Ontario Guy » Fri Jan 09, 2015 4:08 pm

First line up here is Dilaudid; if that doesn't work, Fentanyl. There are many ways to administer them: pills, patches, subcutaneous injection by hypo or a computer-driven pump you wear on your belt. Some people worry about addiction (they are narcotics, after all), but my experience was that once the pain was gone, I didn't need the drugs.

The upshot: your aunt doesn't have to put up with pain.

Good luck!

OG


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